Lord grant me wisdom of heart to see, The difference in duty and love for me.Give me the understanding to know,When duty calls, that he must go.Give me a task to do each day,To fill the months when he's away.And Lord, when duty is in the field,Please protect and be his shield.

We're home in Texas (yippee!) for my sister's graduation with a doctorate degree from Texas A&M University . I made cookies ...

Sunday, March 13, 2011

{ coffee-crusted sirloins }

A classically-grilled steak can't be beat. But every now and then, I get a hankering for a good, crusty, pan-fried steak (especially when the grill is buried beneath several feet of snow).

This is one of those recipes that might sound strange at first, but once you've tried it, you'll wonder how you never discovered it before -- it's simple and delicious.

The flavor isn't an overt coffee taste, but every now and then, you get just a hint of it. The result is a perfectly seasoned crust for a great cut of meat.

Generously season both sides of the steak with salt, pepper, and any coffee of your choice. Don't be afraid to sprinkle a good amount of coffee on there! I used some basic Folger's that I keep stashed away in case of a coffee emergency, because I didn't want to risk wasting my good stuff if the recipe went south. But pretty much anything would do.

Place the seasoned steaks, along with a little bit of olive oil (about 2 tablespoons) and butter (about 1 tablespoon), in a heavy pan on medium-high heat. I always use cast iron when pan-frying steak. I just think it's the best option for getting things "good and hot."

Cook as desired, depending on how pink (or red) you like your steak. Ours were pretty thick and took about 5 minutes per side, but thinner cuts would definitely take less time. Cover with foil for a few minutes, and serve. I roasted some broccoli florets with thyme, olive oil, salt, pepper and pine nuts to go along with the steaks.I found this yummy recipe at kevinandamanda.com